Headlines: March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023 · The Pulse
By Kevin Holowack and Mariam Ibrahim

A regimental funeral for Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan is scheduled for 1pm on March 27 at Rogers Place. A procession will take place on March 21 starting around noon, and EPS encourages anyone who wants to show support to line the route as the officers' bodies are brought from the medical examiner's office to Serenity Funeral Home. EPS said it is working with the families to finalize details of the funeral and will share more information when it is available. Jordan and Ryan were shot and killed while responding to a family dispute call in the Inglewood area just before 1am on March 16.
Environment Canada issued an air quality advisory for Edmonton on March 20 due to stagnant weather. The poor air quality may continue for most of the week and will likely be worse during the afternoons and evenings. People with lung diseases such as asthma or COPD can be especially sensitive. A similar week-long poor air quality event took place across Alberta in January.
City council's community and public services committee voted unanimously in favour of a three-year extension for the Community Outreach Transit Teams. The program, launched in 2021 as a two-year pilot project, is a partnership between the city and Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society aimed at providing support and resources to vulnerable people within the transit system. The program will also be expanded from five to seven teams, which patrol transit stations seven days a week from 6am to 2am. "These social issues are not going to go away in a short amount of time, so we need to have these kinds of social interventions in the system," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said during the meeting.
The medical staff association at Misericordia Community Hospital, which represents hundreds of staff, is finalizing a letter to the province highlighting the urgency of replacing the hospital's CT scanner as it prepares to open a new $65-million emergency department in 2023. Emergency room physicians told Postmedia the single existing CT scanner is unreliable, which can delay emergency care, cause a ripple effect throughout Edmonton's hospital system, and tie up ambulance teams. A press secretary for Health Minister Jason Copping said about 190 patients were transferred the last time the scanner was down, but said current patient volumes don't support adding another machine.
The city is inviting public input on a variety of initiatives and projects, including the temporary Pop-up Dog Park Program, a land development application in Glenora, the design concept for the Rollie Miles Recreation Centre, and the possibility of expanding the Vision Zero Street Labs program in the Silver Berry neighbourhood.
Blatchford was named the "Best New Community" at the 2023 Awards of Excellence in Housing event hosted by the Canadian Home Builders' Association-Edmonton Region. The category recognizes residential developments for innovative land use, amenities, and environmental initiatives. The award is a "testament to teamwork, collaboration, and continued commitment to city council's vision for Blatchford," said Tom Lumsden, development manager for Blatchford.
Investigators determined a March 12 apartment fire at 126 Street and 152 Avenue, which required a response of 16 fire trucks and 64 firefighters, was caused by an electrical or mechanical failure. One person was hospitalized in the fire, which caused $7 million in damages.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and its American counterpart are reopening all NEXUS airport enrolment centres this spring, which the agencies say will increase the program's capacity and help people get NEXUS membership cards faster. Interviews to join the NEXUS Program can be booked as of March 20, with appointments at the Edmonton International Airport starting April 12.